Process for treating mineral oils



W. JOHNSON.

PROCESS FOR TREATING MINERAL OILS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1916.

1,354,257. t S pt- 28,1920.

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WALTER'JOHNSON, OF NORTH LOUP, NEBRASKA.

PROCESS FOR TREATING MINERAL OILS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1920. 1

Application filed April 25, 1916. Serial No. 93,422.

for Treating Mineral Oils; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a process for cracking crude or mineral oil.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device including a pair of spaced electrodes, for superheating the vapor on its passage from the vaporizing tank to the gondenser, to effect cracking to a high degree.

With the foregoing and other objects in ricw'this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, which shows the improved superheating structure in section, and the vaporizing tank and the condensing o cooling coil diagrammatically.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like or corresponding'parts, 1. indicates a vaporizing tank or an evaporating boiler of any suitable or ordinary construction which contains the crude or mineral oil. The oil is forced, under pressure, through a pipe 2, into the channel 3 formed in the pipe-section 4. The pipe 2 is connected to the pipe-section 4 through the medium of bolts 5, which bolts extend through flanges 6 formed on the pipe 2 and flanges 7 formed on the end of the section 8 of the pipe-section 4. The flange 7 is insulated from the flange 6 by a plate of insulation 9, and the bolts 5 are surrounded by insulating collars 10.

The channel 3 communicates and alines with the channel 11 formed in the section 12 of the pipe-section 4. The section 12 of the pipe-section 4 is connected to a pipe 13, by means of bolts 14 which extend through a flange 15 formed upon the section 12 and a flange 16 formed upon the pipe section 13. The pipe 13 and its flange 16 are insulated from'the flange 15 and the pipe 12 by a plate 17 of insulation, and insulatingcollars 18 are mounted about the bolts 14. The pipe 13 communicates with a cooling or' condensing coil 19,. which coil in turn communicates with a retaining tank 20.

Insulation collars 21 are positioned in the I tubular arms 23 and 24 of the pipe-section 4 and they have positioned therein electrodes 25 and 26. The electrodes 25 and 26 have electrical conducting wires 27 connected thereto in the usual manner. The inner ends of the electrodesproject in the alining channels 3 and 11, leaving a narrow passageway or channel 28 therebetween through which the vaporized oil'passes as will be hereinafter -more fully set forth. The insulating collars 21 have flanges 29 formed on their outer ends, through which set screws 30 pass for attaching the insulating collars to the body of the pipe-section 4. v

The crude or mineral oil is first vaporized' in the tank 1 in the ordinary manner, and it passes through the pipe 2 into the channel 3, passing through the channel 28 between the ends of the electrodes 25 and 26. The electric discharge passing through the space 28 superheats and cracks the vapor or vaporized oil. The parts thus treated continue to flow upwardly through the channel 11 into the pipe 13, to the cooling or condensing coil 19 wherein the hydrocarbon is condensed into a liquid and from the cooling coil to the gasolene or retaining tank.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed is 1. The process of making lighter hydrocarbon oils which comprises vaporizing heavier mineral oil, and passing said vapors alone through a zone energized by the passage of electricity from one electrode to another to such a degree as to be capable of superheating and cracking the oil vapor.

2. The process of making lighter hydroheavier mineral oil, passing said; vapors In testimony whereof I affix my signature alone through a Zone energized by the pasin presence of two Witnesses.

sage of electricity from one electrode to WALTER JOHNSON. another to such a degree as to be capable Witnesses:

'5 of superheating and cracking the oil vapor, A. B. MILLS,

and condensing the condensable vapors. ALMA A. BRANER. 

